Mr. Weston, who referred to himself as ''Editor Weston,'' started the publication in 1972 and published it sporadically until 1978. In 1974, he was convicted of criminal libel for an article in The Citizen about a sheriff. The State Supreme Court overturned a jail sentence and fine, striking down the libel law because it did not include truth as a defense or require proof of malice in the case of false statements about public officials.